The Balfour Declaration was issued by the British government in 1917 during World War I with the intention that the British government would find a way to make Palestine a national home for the Jews. This support arose not solely out of sympathy, but with the intention that support for the Jews would be beneficial for the British in the end. There was a sense that the Jews held political and economic power in the United States and Russia. Some British officials believed that the Jews would be able to sway the neutral America into joining the war. They also feared that the Zionists would make a deal with Germany (through Germanic seduction) and the Jews would be on the side on the Triple Alliance. Chaim Weizmann was a support of both cultural and political Zionism, and was a renowned chemist. Weizmann's advancements in the production and usage of acetone in explosives in WWI awarded him much power, which proved beneficial when convincing the British government to make the Balfour Declaration.
Zeev (Vladimir) Jabotinsky led the Revisionist, a group that opposed Zionism and the idea that establishing a unified Jewish state was a higher priority than "class, cultural, party, or personal interests". The Revisionist movement was much more militant than earlier Zionism.
There were different positions taken by the numerous Zionist groups on the situation of the Arabs of Palestine. Herzl believed that the Arab population of Palestine would welcome Jews because they could offer economic and agricultural skill. The presence of Jews would be beneficial to the Arab population, and to Herzl, this was an advantage for both groups. Feysal also felt that the Arabs and Jews were connected in that they had both faced oppression, and would be able to relate on that level. Ahad Ha'am, on the other hand, was much less optimistic. He cited that historically Arabs had objected to the presence of Jewish immigrants as early as the year 1891. Socialist Zionism often approached the situation with great contradiction; they were sympathetic towards the Arabs on basis that they had both faced oppression and exploitation, but also had a strong desire to lead the class struggle. This meant that the Arabs would be working under Jewish rule, not as a unified team. The Revisionists, lead by Jabotinsky, wanted to create a Jewish state on both sides of the Jordan. If the Arabs were willing to live under Jewish sovereignty, then the Jews would be able to stay. Otherwise, the Jews were free to inhabit neighboring Arab lands. Because of the political and military weakness of the Jews, Jabotinsky felt it imperative that there be an imbalance of power in favor of the Jews.
Excellent answers - A.
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